Suspected Holocaust denier David Irving to remain in prison

By Haaretz Service and the Associated Press

The
controversial British historian David Irving, accused of denying the
Holocaust, will not be released into house arrest, an Austrian court ruled
on Friday.

Irving was arrested by Austrian police on November 11 in
the southern Austrian province of Styria. He was transferred to a prison
in Graz.

Irving was detained on a warrant issued in 1989 under
Austrian laws that make Holocaust denial a crime. The charges stemmed from
speeches Irving delivered that year in Vienna and in the southern town of
Leoben.

Irving in the past has faced allegations of spreading
anti-Semitic and racist ideas. He is the author of nearly 30 books,
including "Hitler's War," which challenges the extent of the
Holocaust.

He remained in custody Thursday, the Austria Press
Agency said. Calls to the Graz court to confirm the report went unanswered
late Thursday afternoon.

If formally charged, tried and convicted
on the charge, Irving could face up to 20 years in prison, said Otto
Schneider of the public prosecutor's office. But he said it was unclear
whether there were sufficient legal grounds to continue holding Irving on
such a charge so many years after the alleged offense was committed. A
decision was expected by the end of next week on how to proceed, Schneider
said.